British people are funnier than American people. It’s just a fact of life. As a result, their television comedies are often much funnier than ours are, too. Whether it be Monty Python’s Flying Circus or The Thick of It, the British sense of humor—equal parts droll and absurd—usually hits with some portion of the American audience, tickled by accents and acerbic wit. That’s why we’re especially excited for a new batch of BBC comedy programs we sure hope make their way across the pond, including a spooky comedy from the writer of Paddington 2, and a family comedy featuring a Doctor Who reunion.
First up, let’s talk about Ghosts. According to Deadline, Ghosts is the new BBC One comedy written by Simon Farnaby and his colleagues from Horrible Histories and Yonderland, both absurdist fantasies. It’s a six-part series following restless spirits in an old manor house, bickering their post-death existences away. It sounds like it has the potential to be like Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows, though one would hope it’s not just a ghostly retread, especially considering there’s an American TV version of that vampire movie coming soon. Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, and Ben Willbond will co-star with Farnaby (far left in the picture above).
David Tennant is returning to television, this time in the BBC Four comedy-drama There She Goes, which will see him partnered with Spaced star and co-writer Jessica Hynes. Hynes also worked with Tennant on the beloved Doctor Who episodes “Human Nature” and “The Family of Blood.” Here, the two will play parents of a nine-year-old with a learning disability, played by newcomer Miley Locke, based on the real-life experiences of writer Shaun Pye. There She Goes is a five-part series produced by Sharon Horgan’s production company Merman and is set to start filming in July.
We’ll always be intrigued by British comedy, especially if it’s got the kind of A-class talent and creators as the BBC always employs. We’ll update you on when and if these shows make it to North America when it’s announced.
Image: BBC
Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!
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